Margaret Lyons: Hi, this is Margaret Lyons, and I'm excited to talk to everyone about Chicago! Let's get started, shall we?

_______________________

Denver, Colo.: Hi, Margaret. I'm coming to Chicago June 24 for the first time. What exactly is Chicago-style pizza and where are some places to get the "authentic" stuff?

Thanks,
Dave

Margaret Lyons: Ooooh, boy, that's a good one. Chicago-style pizza typically means deep dish, with a very doughy crust and unlike East Coast pizza, the sauce is on the top (crust // cheese // sauce // toppings, instead of crust // sauce // cheese // toppings). As far as best places to get it, I'm partial to Pequod's and Gino's East. But places like Giordano's and Lou Malnati's, which have spots all over the city, are pretty good, too.

_______________________

Savannah, Ga.: I am planning a trip to Chicago during the Food Festival that the city has every year, but I am still not sure if I will drive or fly with the gas prices being so high. My son wants to fly because he has never been on a plane. But on the other hand I wanted to have a nice road trip to show him the different states on the way there. What should I do?

Margaret Lyons: If you're worried about needing a car to get around Chicago, don't be. I don't even have a drivers license! Chicago is very pedestrian-friendly, and the public transit system is pretty easy to navigate. (And if either of you like bikes, there are bike rentals available, too, which is a great way to get around town.) As someone who's road-tripped around the Chicago area a lot, I'll admit there's not a whole lot to see.

_______________________

Washington, D.C.: Hi, Margaret. I will be taking a trip to Chicago from July 4-7 with my husband and another couple. We'd love to spend a few hours relaxing at a spa—can you recommend a good one that won't break the bank?

Margaret Lyons: My favorite spa is Continuum. It's relatively affordable, and to me a really quintessential Chicago business: small, neighborhood-oriented, and unfailingly kind. I also got the best massage and facial ever there. :) It's pretty far off the beaten path—way on the North Side—so it's also a good see-the-city trip.

_______________________